The Mau of Cote d’Ivoire

The Mau of Cote d’Ivoire, numbering approximately 454,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Mande people of northwestern Cote d'Ivoire's Bafing region south of Touba, descended from the Diomande clan who migrated from the Beyla area of Mali Empire territory around the 1500s, pushing the neighboring Dan people further south. They mostly adhere to Folk Islam and Mahou is their primary language.

Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash: Mau

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Sub-Saharan African Peoples
Country: Cote d’Ivoire
People Cluster: Malinke
Primary Language(s): Mahou (mxx)
Primary Religion(s): Folk Islam
Population: 454,000
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): Engaged yet Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
People Group ID: PG013109
View on Joshua Project

Pray for the Mau of Cote d’Ivoire

Join others around the world in praying for the lost to be saved, the gospel to advance, the global Church to grow, and for laborers to be sent out and sustained in the harvest.

Dig Deeper (Religion):

Primary Religion: Folk Islam
Religious Affiliation: Islam

99%
%
Folk Islam Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Mahou
Language Family: Mande

100%
%
Mahou Speakers

Media Resources in Mahou:

Films:

No film resources are listed for this language.

Bible Resources in Mahou:

Bible Name (Translation)VideoAudioText
2019 Wycliffe Bible Translators Inc.✓

1 entry

Or check out the Mahou bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

SPI: Unreached yet Engaged

The Mau are Engaged yet Unreached, which means there are less than 2% evangelical Christian populations but there are sustained efforts at establishing self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice.

Next steps for the Mau:
Continue prayer and fasting for this group
Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people

Pray specifically for the Mau of Cote d’Ivoire

Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.
read1 John 3:8

Pray for those living in darkness to recognize the destructive power of sin and the victory Christ has won over it.

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
readMatthew 11:28-29

Please pray for them to lift their eyes to Jesus and find rest for their souls, lasting peace, and hope in Him.

We give thanks to you, O God; we give thanks, for your name is near. We recount your wondrous deeds.
readPsalm 75:1

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will give thanks to the Lord for His wondrous works and declare His goodness to all people.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
readRomans 1:16

Pray that God will raise up sons and daughters who, like Paul, will be bold to share the gospel across cultural barriers so that many might receive salvation.

Mau Across Countries (ROP3 - 106411) reported in the following countries:

Strategic Progress Index
All

1 people group

To download a comprehensive people group list in spreadsheet form, visit our Research Data page.

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